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Lara O, Janssen P, Mambretti M, De Pauw L, Ates G, Mackens L, De Munck J, Walckiers J, Pan Z, Beckers P, Espinet E, Sato H, De Ridder M, Marks DL, Barbé K, Aerts JL, Hermans E, Rooman I, Massie A. Compartmentalized role of xCT in supporting pancreatic tumor growth, inflammation and mood disturbance in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:275-286. [PMID: 38447884 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
xCT (Slc7a11), the specific subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc-, is present in the brain and on immune cells, where it is known to modulate behavior and inflammatory responses. In a variety of cancers -including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)-, xCT is upregulated by tumor cells to support their growth and spread. Therefore, we studied the impact of xCT deletion in pancreatic tumor cells (Panc02) and/or the host (xCT-/- mice) on tumor burden, inflammation, cachexia and mood disturbances. Deletion of xCT in the tumor strongly reduced tumor growth. Targeting xCT in the host and not the tumor resulted only in a partial reduction of tumor burden, while it did attenuate tumor-related systemic inflammation and prevented an increase in immunosuppressive regulatory T cells. The latter effect could be replicated by specific xCT deletion in immune cells. xCT deletion in the host or the tumor differentially modulated neuroinflammation. When mice were grafted with xCT-deleted tumor cells, hypothalamic inflammation was reduced and, accordingly, food intake improved. Tumor bearing xCT-/- mice showed a trend of reduced hippocampal neuroinflammation with less anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Taken together, targeting xCT may have beneficial effects on pancreatic cancer-related comorbidities, beyond reducing tumor burden. The search for novel and specific xCT inhibitors is warranted as they may represent a holistic therapy in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaya Lara
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium; Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Pauline Janssen
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium; Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Marco Mambretti
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Laura De Pauw
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Gamze Ates
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Liselotte Mackens
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Jolien De Munck
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Jarne Walckiers
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Zhaolong Pan
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Pauline Beckers
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Elisa Espinet
- Pancreatic Cancer Lab, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapy, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08907, Spain; Molecular Mechanisms and Experimental Therapy in Oncology Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08907, Spain
| | - Hideyo Sato
- Department of Medical Technology, Niigata University, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Mark De Ridder
- Department of Radiotherapy, UZ Brussels, VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Daniel L Marks
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kurt Barbé
- The Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Department, VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Joeri L Aerts
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel Hermans
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Ilse Rooman
- Laboratory for Medical and Molecular Oncology, Translational Oncology Research Center (TORC), VUB, Brussels 1090, Belgium.
| | - Ann Massie
- Laboratory of Neuro-Aging & Viro-Immunotherapy, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels 1090, Belgium.
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Qian ZB, Li JF, Xiong WY, Mao XR. Ferritinophagy: A new idea for liver diseases regulated by ferroptosis. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2024; 23:160-170. [PMID: 37903710 DOI: 10.1016/j.hbpd.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery of regulatory cell death has led to a breakthrough in the therapeutic field. Various forms of cell death, such as necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis, play an important role in the development of liver diseases. In general, more than one form of cell death pathways is responsible for the disease state. Therefore, it is particularly important to study the regulation and interaction of various cell death forms in liver diseases. DATA SOURCES We performed a PubMed search up to November 2022 with the following keywords: ferritinophagy, ferroptosis, and liver disease. We also used terms such as signal path, inducer, and inhibitor to supplement the query results. RESULTS This review summarized the basic characteristics of ferritinophagy and ferroptosis and the regulation of ferroptosis by ferritinophagy and reviewed the key targets and treatment strategies of ferroptosis in different liver diseases. CONCLUSIONS Ferritinophagy is a potential therapeutic target in ferroptosis-related liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Bing Qian
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jun-Feng Li
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Institute of Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wan-Yuan Xiong
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiao-Rong Mao
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; Department of Infectious Disease, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Peleman C, Francque S, Berghe TV. Emerging role of ferroptosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: revisiting hepatic lipid peroxidation. EBioMedicine 2024; 102:105088. [PMID: 38537604 PMCID: PMC11026979 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is characterised by cell death of parenchymal liver cells which interact with their microenvironment to drive disease activity and liver fibrosis. The identification of the major death type could pave the way towards pharmacotherapy for MASH. To date, increasing evidence suggest a type of regulated cell death, named ferroptosis, which occurs through iron-catalysed peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in membrane phospholipids. Lipid peroxidation enjoys renewed interest in the light of ferroptosis, as druggable target in MASH. This review recapitulates the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in liver physiology, evidence for ferroptosis in human MASH and critically appraises the results of ferroptosis targeting in preclinical MASH models. Rewiring of redox, iron and PUFA metabolism in MASH creates a proferroptotic environment involved in MASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Ferroptosis induction might be a promising novel approach to eradicate HCC, while its inhibition might ameliorate MASH disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Peleman
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Paediatrics, Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Sven Francque
- Laboratory of Experimental Medicine and Paediatrics, Infla-Med Centre of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.
| | - Tom Vanden Berghe
- VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Jakobsen S, Nielsen CU. Exploring Amino Acid Transporters as Therapeutic Targets for Cancer: An Examination of Inhibitor Structures, Selectivity Issues, and Discovery Approaches. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:197. [PMID: 38399253 PMCID: PMC10893028 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Amino acid transporters are abundant amongst the solute carrier family and have an important role in facilitating the transfer of amino acids across cell membranes. Because of their impact on cell nutrient distribution, they also appear to have an important role in the growth and development of cancer. Naturally, this has made amino acid transporters a novel target of interest for the development of new anticancer drugs. Many attempts have been made to develop inhibitors of amino acid transporters to slow down cancer cell growth, and some have even reached clinical trials. The purpose of this review is to help organize the available information on the efforts to discover amino acid transporter inhibitors by focusing on the amino acid transporters ASCT2 (SLC1A5), LAT1 (SLC7A5), xCT (SLC7A11), SNAT1 (SLC38A1), SNAT2 (SLC38A2), and PAT1 (SLC36A1). We discuss the function of the transporters, their implication in cancer, their known inhibitors, issues regarding selective inhibitors, and the efforts and strategies of discovering inhibitors. The goal is to encourage researchers to continue the search and development within the field of cancer treatment research targeting amino acid transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Jakobsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Carsten Uhd Nielsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense, Denmark
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Tan SLW, Tan HM, Israeli E, Fatihah I, Ramachandran V, Ali SB, Goh SJA, Wee J, Tan AQL, Tam WL, Han W. Up-regulation of SLC7A11/xCT creates a vulnerability to selenocystine-induced cytotoxicity. Biochem J 2023; 480:2045-2058. [PMID: 38078799 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The SLC7A11/xCT cystine and glutamate antiporter has emerged as an attractive target for cancer therapy due to its selective overexpression in multiple cancers and its role in preventing ferroptosis. Utilizing pharmacological and genetic approaches in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, we demonstrate that overexpression of SLC7A11 engenders hypersensitivity towards l-selenocystine, a naturally occurring diselenide that bears close structural similarity to l-cystine. We find that the abundance of SLC7A11 positively correlates with sensitivity to l-selenocystine, but surprisingly, not to Erastin, an inhibitor of SLC7A11 activity. Our data indicate that SLC7A11 acts as a transport channel for l-selenocystine, which preferentially incites acute oxidative stress and damage eventuating to cell death in cells that highly express SLC7A11. Hence, our findings raise the prospect of l-selenocystine administration as a novel strategy for targeting cancers that up-regulate SLC7A11 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Lu Wen Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hui Min Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Erez Israeli
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Indah Fatihah
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Vignesh Ramachandran
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Shamsia Bte Ali
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Shane Jun An Goh
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Jillian Wee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Alicia Qian Ler Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Wai Leong Tam
- NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Republic of Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117597, Republic of Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 60 Biopolis Drive, Genome, Singapore 138672, Republic of Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Republic of Singapore
| | - Weiping Han
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
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Liu S, Yao Y, Hou M, Mei J, Sun L, Zhang G. Identification and validation of a ferroptosis-related signature for prediction of the prognosis and tumor microenvironment in patients with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:1079. [PMID: 37940859 PMCID: PMC10634106 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11589-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cell death that is different from other forms, which has an important role in tumor growth inhibition. The purpose of this study was to construct and validate a prognostic signature related to ferroptosis in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) and to explore its role in immune cell infiltration and systemic therapy. METHODS The gene expression profiles of ChRCC patients obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to identify differentially expressed prognostic ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) by univariate Cox proportional hazards analyses. Ferroptosis molecular subtypes were obtained by consensus clustering analysis. The FRG-based signature in the training set was established by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis and verified in the testing set. The association between molecular subtypes and the prognostic signature and immune microenvironment was explored to predict responses to immunotherapy. Immunohistochemistry was used to verify expression of the FRG-based signature externally. RESULTS ChRCC patients were divided into two FRG subtypes. Two FRGs (TFRC and SLC7A11) were identified to construct the prognostic signature. The high-risk group and cluster 2 had worse overall survival than the low-risk group and cluster 1, respectively. The low-risk group and cluster 1 had higher levels of immune cell infiltration and expression of MHC and immune checkpoint molecules than the high-risk group and cluster 2. The risk score was a predictor of overall survival and had a good predictive ability, which was verified in the testing set and evaluated by ROC and calibration curves. The high-risk group had a higher tumor mutation burden. The different sensitivities of targeted drugs in patients with different risks were evaluated. External immunohistochemical analysis showed that TFRC and SLC7A11 were highly expressed in tumor tissues compared with para-cancer normal tissues, and the expression level was significantly associated with a more advanced stage and worse cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS An FRG signature was identified and validated to predict the clinicopathological features and prognosis of ChRCC. A significant association between the signature and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and drug response is helpful to guide comprehensive treatment of ChRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Rd, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Yu Yao
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Rd, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Mingyu Hou
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Jingchang Mei
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Rd, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Lijiang Sun
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Rd, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China
| | - Guiming Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Rd, 266003, Qingdao, P.R. China.
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Shi Y, Zhang J, Luo K, Pan S, Shi H, Xiong L, Du S. The Roles of Iron and Ferroptosis in Human Chronic Diseases. Biochemistry 2023. [DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.108790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent novel type of cell death, has been characterized as an excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides and reactive oxygen species. A growing number of studies demonstrate that ferroptosis not only plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic diseases, but also functions differently in different diseases. As a double-edged sword, activation of ferroptosis could potently inhibit tumor growth and increase sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in various cancer settings. Therefore, the development of more efficacious ferroptosis agonists or inhibitors remains the mainstay of ferroptosis-targeting strategy for cancer therapeutics or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases therapeutics.
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8
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Wang J, Hao S, Song G, Wang Y, Hao Q. The prognostic and clinicopathological significance of SLC7A11 in human cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14931. [PMID: 36874967 PMCID: PMC9979827 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective It is of great importance to recognize bio-markers for cancer prognosis. However, the association between solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and prognosis is still controversial. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of SLC7A11 in human cancers. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library and Embase database were searched from database inceptions to March 19th 2022. Hand searches were also conducted in references. Prognosis and clinicopathological data were extracted and analyzed. Results A total of 12 eligible studies with 1,955 patients were included. The results indicated that SLC7A11 expression is associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS), unfavorable recurrence-free survival (RFS) and unfavorable progression free survival (PFS). And SLC7A11 expression is also associated with more advanced tumor stage. Conclusions SLC7A11 expression is associated with more unfavorable prognosis and more advanced tumor stage. Therefore, SLC7A11 could be a potential biomarker for human cancer prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantao Wang
- Sichuan University, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Department of Lung Cancer Center and Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyuan Hao
- Sichuan University, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Chengdu, China
| | - Guojiao Song
- Sichuan University, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Department of Lung Cancer Center and Department of Radiation Oncology, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Sichuan University, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiukui Hao
- McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Science, Ontario, Canada
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Barutello G, Di Lorenzo A, Gasparetto A, Galiazzi C, Bolli E, Conti L, Cavallo F. Immunotherapy against the Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter xCT Improves the Efficacy of APR-246 in Preclinical Breast Cancer Models. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2843. [PMID: 36359363 PMCID: PMC9688020 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women. Despite recent clinical advances, new therapeutic approaches are still required. The cystine-glutamate antiporter xCT, encoded by the SLC7A11 gene, which imports cystine in exchange with glutamate, is a potentially new target for breast cancer therapy, being involved in tumor cell redox balance and resistance to therapies. xCT expression is regulated by the oncosuppressor p53, which is mutated in many breast cancers. Indeed, mutant p53 (mut-p53) can induce xCT post-transcriptional down modulation, rendering mut-p53 tumors susceptible to oxidative damage. Interestingly, the drug APR-246, developed to restore the wild-type function of p53 in tumors harboring its mutation, alters the cell redox balance in a p53-independent way, possibly rendering the cells more sensitive to xCT inhibition. Here, we propose a combinatorial treatment based on xCT immunetargeting and APR-246 treatment as a strategy for tackling breast cancer. We demonstrate that combining the inhibition of xCT with the APR-246 drug significantly decreased breast cancer cell viability in vitro and induced apoptosis and affected cancer stem cells' self-renewal compared to the single treatments. Moreover, the immunetargeting of xCT through DNA vaccination in combination with APR-246 treatment synergistically hinders tumor progression and prevents lung metastasis formation in vivo. These effects can be mediated by the production of anti-xCT antibodies that are able to induce the antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity of tumor cells. Overall, we demonstrate that DNA vaccination against xCT can synergize with APR-246 treatment and enhance its therapeutic effect. Thus, APR-246 treatment in combination with xCT immunetargeting may open new perspectives in the management of breast cancer.
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Galluccio M, Scalise M, Pappacoda G, Scarpelli M, Bonanomi M, Gaglio D, Indiveri C. Production of recombinant human xCT (SLC7A11) and reconstitution in proteoliposomes for functional studies. Front Physiol 2022; 13:993626. [PMID: 36148304 PMCID: PMC9485625 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.993626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasma membrane transporter xCT belongs to the SLC7 family and has the physiological role of mediating the exchange of glutamate and cystine across the cell plasma membrane, being crucial for redox control. The xCT protein forms a heterodimer with the ancillary protein CD98. Over the years, xCT became a hot pharmacological target due to the documented over-expression in virtually all human cancers, which rely on cystine availability for their progression. Notwithstanding, several unknown aspects of xCT biology still exist that require a suitable single protein experimental model, to be addressed. To this aim, the recombinant host Escherichia coli has been exploited to over-express the human isoform of xCT. In this widely used and low-cost system, the optimization for growth and protein production has been achieved by acting on the metabolic needs of the bacterial strains. Then, the His-tagged protein has been purified by Ni2+-chelating chromatography and reconstituted in proteoliposomes for transport activity assays. The expressed protein was in a folded/active state allowing functional and kinetic characterization. Interestingly, the features of the recombinant protein meet those of the native one extracted from intact cells, further confirming the suitability of E. coli as a host for the expression of human proteins. This study opens perspectives for elucidating other molecular aspects of xCT, as well as for studying the interaction with endogenous and exogenous compounds, relevant to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Galluccio
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia Ecologia Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Mariafrancesca Scalise
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia Ecologia Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Gilda Pappacoda
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia Ecologia Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Martina Scarpelli
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia Ecologia Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Marcella Bonanomi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- ISBE.IT/Centre of Systems Biology, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Gaglio
- ISBE.IT/Centre of Systems Biology, Milan, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
| | - Cesare Indiveri
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia Ecologia Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
- CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics, and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM), Bari, Italy
- *Correspondence: Cesare Indiveri,
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11
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Paulusma CC, Lamers W, Broer S, van de Graaf SFJ. Amino acid metabolism, transport and signalling in the liver revisited. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 201:115074. [PMID: 35568239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The liver controls the systemic exposure of amino acids entering via the gastro-intestinal tract. For most amino acids except branched chain amino acids, hepatic uptake is very efficient. This implies that the liver orchestrates amino acid metabolism and also controls systemic amino acid exposure. Although many amino acid transporters have been identified, cloned and investigated with respect to substrate specificity, transport mechanism, and zonal distribution, which of these players are involved in hepatocellular amino acid transport remains unclear. Here, we aim to provide a review of current insight into the molecular machinery of hepatic amino acid transport. Furthermore, we place this information in a comprehensive overview of amino acid transport, signalling and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coen C Paulusma
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Lamers
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Broer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Stan F J van de Graaf
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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12
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Ge C, Zhang S, Mu H, Zheng S, Tan Z, Huang X, Xu C, Zou J, Zhu Y, Feng D, Aa J. Emerging Mechanisms and Disease Implications of Ferroptosis: Potential Applications of Natural Products. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:774957. [PMID: 35118067 PMCID: PMC8804219 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.774957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis, a newly discovered form of regulatory cell death (RCD), has been demonstrated to be distinct from other types of RCD, such as apoptosis, necroptosis, and autophagy. Ferroptosis is characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and oxidative perturbation, and is inhibited by iron chelators and lipophilic antioxidants. This process is regulated by specific pathways and is implicated in diverse biological contexts, mainly including iron homeostasis, lipid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. A large body of evidence suggests that ferroptosis is interrelated with various physiological and pathological processes, including tumor progression (neuro)degenerative diseases, and hepatic and renal failure. There is an urgent need for the discovery of novel effective ferroptosis-modulating compounds, even though some experimental reagents and approved clinical drugs have been well documented to have anti- or pro-ferroptotic properties. This review outlines recent advances in molecular mechanisms of the ferroptotic death process and discusses its multiple roles in diverse pathophysiological contexts. Furthermore, we summarize chemical compounds and natural products, that act as inducers or inhibitors of ferroptosis in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Herein, it is particularly highlighted that natural products show promising prospects in ferroptosis-associated (adjuvant) therapy with unique advantages of having multiple components, multiple biotargets and slight side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Ge
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sujie Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huiwen Mu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shaojun Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaoyi Tan
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xintong Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianjun Zou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yubing Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Basic Medicine & Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Yubing Zhu, ; Dong Feng, ; Jiye Aa,
| | - Dong Feng
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- Nanjing Southern Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Yubing Zhu, ; Dong Feng, ; Jiye Aa,
| | - Jiye Aa
- Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Yubing Zhu, ; Dong Feng, ; Jiye Aa,
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13
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Chen H, Zhang H, Cao L, Cui J, Ma X, Zhao C, Yin S, Hu H. Glucose Limitation Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Selenite-Induced Cytotoxicity via SLC7A11-Mediated Redox Collapse. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14020345. [PMID: 35053507 PMCID: PMC8773648 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14020345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Selenite, a representative inorganic form of selenium, is preferentially accumulated in tumors. The therapeutic potential of sodium selenite in tumors has received significant attention. However, the effect of sodium selenite in the treatment of established tumors is hampered by its systemic toxicities. In this study, we found selenite exerted a stronger lethality to the cancer cells under the condition of glucose limitation in vitro and an enhanced inhibitory effect on tumor growth when combined with intermittent fasting in vivo. In addition, this treatment showed no obvious toxicity to normal cells and mice. The findings of the present study provide an effective and practical approach for increasing the therapeutic window of selenite and imply that combination of selenite and fasting holds promising potential to be developed a clinically useful regimen for treating certain types of cancer. Abstract Combination of intermittent fasting and chemotherapy has been drawn an increasing attention because of the encouraging efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effect of combination of glucose limitation and selenite (Se), a representative inorganic form of selenium, that is preferentially accumulated in tumors. Results showed that cytotoxic effect of selenite on cancer cells, but not on normal cells, was significantly enhanced in response to the combination of selenite and glucose limitation. Furthermore, in vivo therapeutic efficacy of combining selenite with fasting was dramatically improved in xenograft models of lung and colon cancer. Mechanistically, we found that SLC7A11 expression in cancer cells was up-regulated by selenite both in vitro and in vivo. The elevated SLC7A11 led to cystine accumulation, NADPH depletion and the conversion of cystine to cysteine inhibition, which in turn boosted selenite-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS), followed by enhancement of selenite-mediated cytotoxic effect. The findings of the present study provide an effective and practical approach for increasing the therapeutic window of selenite and imply that combination of selenite and fasting holds promising potential to be developed a clinically useful regimen for treating certain types of cancer.
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14
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Tang X, Chen W, Liu H, Liu N, Chen D, Tian D, Wang J. Research progress on SLC7A11 in the regulation of cystine/cysteine metabolism in tumors. Oncol Lett 2022; 23:47. [PMID: 34992680 PMCID: PMC8721856 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) is a major transporter regulating cysteine metabolism and is widely expressed in a variety of tumor cells. SLC7A11 plays an important role in the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of tumors by regulating the transport of cysteine in the tumor microenvironment. SLC7A11 is expected to become a new therapeutic target and prognostic indicator for the individualized treatment of patients. According to relevant research reports, SLC7A11 can predict the stages and metastasis of liver, breast and lung cancer. Therefore, an in-depth exploration of the role of SLC7A11 in tumors may be important for the screening, early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with tumors. The current review summarizes the research progress on SLC7A11 in liver cancer, lung cancer and other tumors on the basis of previous primary studies. In addition, the present review systematically elaborates on the three main aspects of SLC7A11 pathways in some tumors, the cancer-promoting mechanisms, and the therapeutic relationship between SLC7A11 and tumors. Finally, the present review aims to provide a reference for assessing whether SLC7A11 can be used as a prognostic indicator and treatment target for tumor patients, and the future research direction with regard to SLC7A11 in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Tang
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, The Affiliated Yancheng First Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, The Affiliated Yancheng First Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
| | - Na Liu
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
| | - Deyu Chen
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
| | - Dalong Tian
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, The Affiliated Yancheng First Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
| | - Jingzhi Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, The Affiliated Yancheng First Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
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15
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Wen K, Yan Y, Shi J, Hu L, Wang W, Liao H, Li H, Zhu Y, Mao K, Xiao Z. Construction and Validation of a Combined Ferroptosis and Hypoxia Prognostic Signature for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:809672. [PMID: 34977159 PMCID: PMC8719198 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.809672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ferroptosis, as a unique programmed cell death modality, has been found to be closely related to the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hypoxia signaling pathway has been found to be extensively involved in the transformation and growth of HCC and to inhibit anti-tumor therapy through various approaches. However, there is no high-throughput study to explore the potential link between ferroptosis and hypoxia, as well as their combined effect on the prognosis of HCC. Methods: We included 370 patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and 231 patients in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database. Univariate COX regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator approach were used to construct ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) and hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) prognostic signature (FHPS). Kaplan–Meier method and Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were analyzed to evaluate the predictive capability of FHPS. CIBERSOR and single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis were used to explore the connection between FHPS and tumor immune microenvironment. Immunohistochemical staining was used to compare the protein expression of prognostic FRGs and HRGs between normal liver tissue and HCC tissue. In addition, the nomogram was established to facilitate the clinical application of FHPS. Results: Ten FRGs and HRGs were used to establish the FHPS. We found consistent results in the TCGA training cohort, as well as in the independent ICGC validation cohort, that patients in the high-FHPS subgroup had advanced tumor staging, shorter survival time, and higher mortality. Moreover, patients in the high-FHPS subgroup showed ferroptosis suppressive, high hypoxia, and immunosuppression status. Finally, the nomogram showed a strong prognostic capability to predict overall survival (OS) for HCC patients. Conclusion: We developed a novel prognostic signature combining ferroptosis and hypoxia to predict OS, ferroptosis, hypoxia, and immune status, which provides a new idea for individualized treatment of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongcong Yan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juanyi Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Department of Pathology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weidong Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huoming Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Mao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyu Xiao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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García-Gaytán AC, Hernández-Abrego A, Díaz-Muñoz M, Méndez I. Glutamatergic system components as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer in non-neural organs. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1029210. [PMID: 36457557 PMCID: PMC9705578 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1029210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is one of the most abundant amino acids in the blood. Besides its role as a neurotransmitter in the brain, it is a key substrate in several metabolic pathways and a primary messenger that acts through its receptors outside the central nervous system (CNS). The two main types of glutamate receptors, ionotropic and metabotropic, are well characterized in CNS and have been recently analyzed for their roles in non-neural organs. Glutamate receptor expression may be particularly important for tumor growth in organs with high concentrations of glutamate and might also influence the propensity of such tumors to set metastases in glutamate-rich organs, such as the liver. The study of glutamate transporters has also acquired relevance in the physiology and pathologies outside the CNS, especially in the field of cancer research. In this review, we address the recent findings about the expression of glutamatergic system components, such as receptors and transporters, their role in the physiology and pathology of cancer in non-neural organs, and their possible use as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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17
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He Q, Liu M, Huang W, Chen X, Zhang B, Zhang T, Wang Y, Liu D, Xie M, Ji X, Sun M, Tian D, Xia L. IL-1β-Induced Elevation of Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis Through Up-regulating Programmed Death Ligand 1 and Colony-Stimulating Factor 1. Hepatology 2021; 74:3174-3193. [PMID: 34288020 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Because of a paucity of effective treatment options, metastasis is still a major cause for HCC-associated mortality. The molecular mechanism of inflammation-induced HCC metastasis is open for study. Here, we characterized the function of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) in inflammation-related HCC metastasis and probed therapy strategies for this subpopulation of patients. APPROACH AND RESULTS Elevated expression of SLC7A11 was positively correlated with poor tumor differentiation, and higher tumor-nodule-metastasis stage, and indicated poor prognosis in human HCC. SLC7A11 increased HIF1α expression through reducing α-ketoglutarate (αKG) level by exporting glutamate. SLC7A11 up-regulated programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) expression through αKG-HIF1α cascade. SLC7A11 overexpression in HCC cells promoted intratumoral tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) infiltration through the CSF1/colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) axis, whereas knockdown of CSF1 attenuated SLC7A11-mediated intratumoral TAM and MDSC infiltration and HCC metastasis. Depletion of either TAMs or MDSCs decreased SLC7A11-mediated HCC metastasis. Furthermore, the combination of CSF1R inhibitor BZL945 and anti-PD-L1 antibody blocked SLC7A11-induced HCC metastasis. In addition, IL-1β up-regulated SLC7A11 expression through the interleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/specificity protein 1 pathway. SLC7A11 knockdown impaired IL-1β-promoted HCC metastasis. Anakinra, an IL-1R1 antagonist, reversed IL-1β-promoted HCC metastasis. In human HCC tissues, SLC7A11 expression was positively associated with HIF1α, PD-L1, and CSF1 expression and intratumoral TAM and MDSC infiltration. CONCLUSIONS IL-1β-induced SLC7A11 overexpression up-regulated PD-L1 and CSF1 through the αKG/HIF1α axis, which promoted TAM and MDSC infiltration. Interruption of this oncogenic loop may provide a promising therapy strategy for the inhibition of SLC7A11-mediated HCC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, China
| | - Tongyue Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Danfei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dean Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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18
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Zheng YW, Miao XY, Xiong L, Chen B, Kong FH, Zhou JJ, Liu ZT, Wen Y, Zhang ZJ, Zou H. Sulfasalazine Sensitizes Polyhematoporphyrin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy in Cholangiocarcinoma by Targeting xCT. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:723488. [PMID: 34483935 PMCID: PMC8414975 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.723488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), which is highly malignant, shows a relatively poor prognosis, due to the insensitivity of the tumour to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become a promising palliative therapeutic option for patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), while the functional amount of ROS is limited by intracellular redox systemen. Sulfasalazine (SASP), a well-known anti-inflammatory agent, which also acts as an inhibitor of the amino acid transport system xc (xCT), decreases the intracellular glutathione (GSH) level, thus weakening the antioxidant defence of the cell by inhibition of the antiporter. However, the combination of SASP and PDT remains unexplored. We have reported that polyhematoporphyrin (PHP)-mediated PDT inhibits the cell viability of CCA cells and organoids. Furthermore, in PHP-enriched HCCC-9810 and TFK-1CCA cells, SASP enhances the sensitivity to PHP-mediated PDT through a GSH-dependent mechanism. We found that PHP-PDT can up-regulate xCT expression to promote cells against overloaded ROS, while SASP reduces GSH levels. After the combination of SASP and PHP-PDT, cell viability and GSH levels were significantly inhibited. xCT was also observed to be inhibited by SASP in human organoid samples. Our findings suggest that, in combination with PDT, SASP has potential as a promising approach against CCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Wen Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiong-Ying Miao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Xiong
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fan-Hua Kong
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiang-Jiao Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhong-Tao Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Wen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zi-Jian Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Heng Zou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Saito Y, Soga T. Amino acid transporters as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:2958-2965. [PMID: 34091991 PMCID: PMC8353895 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acids are indispensable nutrients for both normal and cancer cells. Cancer cells are unable to synthesize essential amino acids as well as some non‐essential amino acids adequately to support rapid proliferation, and must take up amino acids from the surroundings. To meet the increased demand for the amino acid needed for proliferation, high levels of amino acid transporters are expressed on the surface of cancer cells. Cancer cells utilize amino acids to synthesize proteins and nucleotides, as well as to obtain energy. In addition, amino acids are known to play pathological roles in cancer cells. Interestingly, breast cancer cells limit the use of amino acids for cell proliferation based on amino acid availability, which depends on estrogen receptor status. Here, we present a summarized literature review of novel amino acid functions in cancer cells. This review organizes the available knowledge on 2 amino acid transporters, SLC7A5 and SLC7A11, which are considered essential for breast cancer cell growth in a cell‐dependent manner. In particular, we propose the glutamine recycling model to clarify the mechanism underlying aberrant SLC7A5 activation. Finally, we overview the pathological significances of SLC7A5 and SLC7A11 in cancer tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Saito
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Soga
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Tsuruoka, Japan
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20
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Lee N, Carlisle AE, Peppers A, Park SJ, Doshi MB, Spears ME, Kim D. xCT-Driven Expression of GPX4 Determines Sensitivity of Breast Cancer Cells to Ferroptosis Inducers. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10020317. [PMID: 33672555 PMCID: PMC7923775 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Inducers of ferroptosis such as the glutathione depleting agent Erastin and the GPX4 inhibitor Rsl-3 are being actively explored as potential therapeutics in various cancers, but the factors that determine their sensitivity are poorly understood. Here, we show that expression levels of both subunits of the cystine/glutamate antiporter xCT determine the expression of GPX4 in breast cancer, and that upregulation of the xCT/selenocysteine biosynthesis/GPX4 production axis paradoxically renders the cancer cells more sensitive to certain types of ferroptotic stimuli. We find that GPX4 is strongly upregulated in a subset of breast cancer tissues compared to matched normal samples, and that this is tightly correlated with the increased expression of the xCT subunits SLC7A11 and SLC3A2. Erastin depletes levels of the antioxidant selenoproteins GPX4 and GPX1 in breast cancer cells by inhibiting xCT-dependent extracellular reduction which is required for selenium uptake and selenocysteine biosynthesis. Unexpectedly, while breast cancer cells are resistant compared to nontransformed cells against oxidative stress inducing drugs, at the same time they are hypersensitive to lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis induced by Erastin or Rsl-3, indicating that they are 'addicted' to the xCT/GPX4 axis. Our findings provide a strategic basis for targeting the anti-ferroptotic machinery of breast cancer cells depending on their xCT status, which can be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namgyu Lee
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
| | - Anne E. Carlisle
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
| | - Austin Peppers
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
| | - Sung Jin Park
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA;
| | - Mihir B. Doshi
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
| | - Meghan E. Spears
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
| | - Dohoon Kim
- Cell and Cancer Biology, Department of Molecular, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA; (N.L.); (A.E.C.); (A.P.); (M.B.D.); (M.E.S.)
- Correspondence:
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21
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Scalise M, Console L, Rovella F, Galluccio M, Pochini L, Indiveri C. Membrane Transporters for Amino Acids as Players of Cancer Metabolic Rewiring. Cells 2020; 9:cells9092028. [PMID: 32899180 PMCID: PMC7565710 DOI: 10.3390/cells9092028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells perform a metabolic rewiring to sustain an increased growth rate and compensate for the redox stress caused by augmented energy metabolism. The metabolic changes are not the same in all cancers. Some features, however, are considered hallmarks of this disease. As an example, all cancer cells rewire the amino acid metabolism for fulfilling both the energy demand and the changed signaling routes. In these altered conditions, some amino acids are more frequently used than others. In any case, the prerequisite for amino acid utilization is the presence of specific transporters in the cell membrane that can guarantee the absorption and the traffic of amino acids among tissues. Tumor cells preferentially use some of these transporters for satisfying their needs. The evidence for this phenomenon is the over-expression of selected transporters, associated with specific cancer types. The knowledge of the link between the over-expression and the metabolic rewiring is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanism of reprogramming in cancer cells. The continuous growth of information on structure-function relationships and the regulation of transporters will open novel perspectives in the fight against human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariafrancesca Scalise
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Lara Console
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Filomena Rovella
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Michele Galluccio
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Lorena Pochini
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Cesare Indiveri
- Unit of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Department DiBEST (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), University of Calabria, Via Bucci 4C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (M.S.); (L.C.); (F.R.); (M.G.); (L.P.)
- CNR Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies (IBIOM) via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-09-8449-2939
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22
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Liu J, Xia X, Huang P. xCT: A Critical Molecule That Links Cancer Metabolism to Redox Signaling. Mol Ther 2020; 28:2358-2366. [PMID: 32931751 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
System xc- cystine/glutamate antiporter, composed of a light-chain subunit (xCT, SLC7A11) and a heavy-chain subunit (CD98hc, SLC3A2), is mainly responsible for the cellular uptake of cystine in exchange for intracellular glutamate. In recent years, the xCT molecule has been found to play an important role in tumor growth, progression, metastasis, and multidrug resistance in various types of cancer. Interestingly, xCT also exhibits an essential function in regulating tumor-associated ferroptosis. Despite significant progress in targeting the system xc- transporter in cancer treatment, the underlying mechanisms still remain elusive. It is also unclear why solid tumors are more sensitive to xCT inhibitors such as sulfasalazine, as compared to hematological malignancies. This review mainly focuses on the role of xCT cystine/glutamate transporter in regard to tumor growth, chemoresistance, tumor-selective ferroptosis, and the mechanisms regulating xCT gene expression. The potential therapeutic implications of targeting the system xc- and its combination with chemotherapeutic agents or immunotherapy to suppress tumor growth and overcome drug resistance are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyun Liu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou 510060, China; Metabolic Innovation Center, Sun Yat-sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Xiaojun Xia
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou 510060, China; Metabolic Innovation Center, Sun Yat-sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, 74 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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23
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ROS Mediate xCT-Dependent Cell Death in Human Breast Cancer Cells under Glucose Deprivation. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071598. [PMID: 32630312 PMCID: PMC7407809 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
xCT, also known as solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), the light chain of the cystine/glutamate antiporter, is positively correlated with cancer progression due to antioxidant function. During glucose deprivation, the overexpression of xCT does not protect cancer cells but instead promotes cell death. Further understanding the mechanism of glucose deprivation-induced cell death is important for developing anticancer treatments targeting the glucose metabolism. In this study, we found that breast cancer cells with a high expression of xCT demonstrated increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and were more sensitive to glucose deprivation than the cells with a low expression of xCT. However, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) did not significantly affect glucose-deprivation-induced cell death. The antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine prevented glucose-deprivation-induced cell death, and the glutathione biosynthesis inhibitor L-buthionine-S, R-sulfoximine enhanced glucose-deprivation-induced cell death. The inhibition of xCT by sulfasalazine or a knockdown of xCT reduced the glucose-deprivation-increased ROS levels and glucose-deprivation-induced cell death. Glucose deprivation reduced the intracellular glutamate, and supplementation with α-ketoglutarate prevented the glucose-deprivation-increased ROS levels and rescued cell death. The knockdown of sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) further enhanced the ROS levels, and promoted xCT-related cell death after glucose deprivation. In conclusion, our results suggested that ROS play a critical role in xCT-dependent cell death in breast cancer cells under glucose deprivation.
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24
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Rolih V, Caldeira J, Bolli E, Salameh A, Conti L, Barutello G, Riccardo F, Magri J, Lamolinara A, Parra K, Valenzuela P, Francia G, Iezzi M, Pericle F, Cavallo F. Development of a VLP-Based Vaccine Displaying an xCT Extracellular Domain for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061492. [PMID: 32521631 PMCID: PMC7352461 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is the leading cause of cancer death in women due to recurrence and resistance to conventional therapies. Thus, MBC represents an important unmet clinical need for new treatments. In this paper we generated a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine (AX09) to inhibit de novo metastasis formation and ultimately prolong the survival of patients with MBC. To this aim, we engineered the bacteriophage MS2 VLP to display an extracellular loop of xCT, a promising therapeutic target involved in tumor progression and metastasis formation. Elevated levels of this protein are observed in a high percentage of invasive mammary ductal tumors including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and correlate with poor overall survival. Moreover, xCT expression is restricted to only a few normal cell types. Here, we tested AX09 in several MBC mouse models and showed that it was well-tolerated and elicited a strong antibody response against xCT. This antibody-based response resulted in the inhibition of xCT's function in vitro and reduced metastasis formation in vivo. Thus, AX09 represents a promising novel approach for MBC, and it is currently advancing to clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Rolih
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Jerri Caldeira
- AgilVax Inc., Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA; (J.C.); (A.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Bolli
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Ahmad Salameh
- AgilVax Inc., Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA; (J.C.); (A.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Laura Conti
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Giuseppina Barutello
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Federica Riccardo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Jolanda Magri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Alessia Lamolinara
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, Center for Advanced Studies and Technologies (CAST), G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.L.); (M.I.)
| | - Karla Parra
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (K.P.); (P.V.); (G.F.)
| | - Paloma Valenzuela
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (K.P.); (P.V.); (G.F.)
| | - Giulio Francia
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (K.P.); (P.V.); (G.F.)
| | - Manuela Iezzi
- Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, Center for Advanced Studies and Technologies (CAST), G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (A.L.); (M.I.)
| | - Federica Pericle
- AgilVax Inc., Albuquerque, NM 87110, USA; (J.C.); (A.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy; (V.R.); (E.B.); (L.C.); (G.B.); (F.R.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-011-670-6457; Fax: +39-011-236-6457
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25
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Chen J, Yang X, Fang X, Wang F, Min J. [The role of ferroptosis in chronic diseases]. Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2020; 49:44-57. [PMID: 32621416 DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1008-9292.2020.02.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Recently, ferroptosis, an iron-dependent novel type of cell death, has been characterized as an excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides and reactive oxygen species. Emerging studies demonstrate that ferroptosis not only plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic diseases, but also functions differently in the different disease context. Notably, it is shown that activation of ferroptosis could potently inhibit tumor growth and increase sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in various cancer settings. As a result, the development of more efficacious ferroptosis agonists remains the mainstay of ferroptosis-targeting strategy for cancer therapeutics. By contrast, in non-cancerous chronic diseases, including cardiovascular & cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, ferroptosis functions as a risk factor to promote these diseases progression through triggering or accelerating tissue injury. As a matter of fact, blocking ferroptosis has been demonstrated to effectively prevent ischemia-reperfusion heart disease in preclinical animal models. Therefore, it is a promising field to develope potent ferroptosis inhibitors for preventing and treating cardiovascular & cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, we summarize the most recent progress on ferroptosis in chronic diseases, and draw attention to the possible clinical impact of this recently emerged ferroptosis modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Chen
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiang Yang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xuexian Fang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fudi Wang
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Junxia Min
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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26
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Quantitative analysis of amino acid metabolism in liver cancer links glutamate excretion to nucleotide synthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:10294-10304. [PMID: 32341162 PMCID: PMC7229649 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919250117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We used a combination of experimental measurements and computer simulations to understand how liver cancer cells rewire their metabolism to grow faster. We observed that glutamate is excreted by the cells, and our simulations suggest that this occurs because glutamate is formed in excess in the cytoplasm, when cells rapidly synthesize nucleotides, which are required for growth. Meanwhile, glutamate that is formed in the mitochondria is, on the other hand, not excreted. Treating glutamate as two distinct pools, a cytosolic and a mitochondrial, is useful to better understand why many cancer cells rapidly consume glutamine, the precursor of glutamate. The results point toward potential drug targets that could be used to reduce growth of liver cancer cells. Many cancer cells consume glutamine at high rates; counterintuitively, they simultaneously excrete glutamate, the first intermediate in glutamine metabolism. Glutamine consumption has been linked to replenishment of tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates and synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but the reason for glutamate excretion is unclear. Here, we dynamically profile the uptake and excretion fluxes of a liver cancer cell line (HepG2) and use genome-scale metabolic modeling for in-depth analysis. We find that up to 30% of the glutamine is metabolized in the cytosol, primarily for nucleotide synthesis, producing cytosolic glutamate. We hypothesize that excreting glutamate helps the cell to increase the nucleotide synthesis rate to sustain growth. Indeed, we show experimentally that partial inhibition of glutamate excretion reduces cell growth. Our integrative approach thus links glutamine addiction to glutamate excretion in cancer and points toward potential drug targets.
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27
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Tumor Microenvironment: A Metabolic Player that Shapes the Immune Response. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 21:ijms21010157. [PMID: 31881671 PMCID: PMC6982275 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune cells survey and patrol throughout the body and sometimes take residence in niche environments with distinct cellular subtypes and nutrients that may fluctuate from those in which they matured. Rooted in immune cell physiology are metabolic pathways and metabolites that not only deliver substrates and energy for growth and survival, but also instruct effector functions and cell differentiation. Unlike cancer cells, immune cells are not subject to a "Darwinian evolutionary pressure" that would allow them to adapt to developing tumors but are often irrevocably affected to local nutrient deprivation. Thus, immune cells must metabolically adapt to these changing conditions in order to perform their necessary functions. On the other hand, there is now a growing appreciation that metabolic changes occurring in cancer cells can impact on immune cell functionality and contribute to tumor immune evasion, and as such, there is a considerable and growing interest in developing techniques that target metabolism for immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the metabolic plasticity displayed by innate and adaptive immune cells and highlight how tumor-derived lactate and tumor acidity restrict immunity. To our knowledge, this review outlines the most recent insights on how tumor microenvironment metabolically instructs immune responsiveness.
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28
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mTOR-Mediated Antioxidant Activation in Solid Tumor Radioresistance. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2019; 2019:5956867. [PMID: 31929797 PMCID: PMC6942807 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5956867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Radiotherapy is widely used for the treatment of cancer patients, but tumor radioresistance presents serious therapy challenges. Tumor radioresistance is closely related to high levels of mTOR signaling in tumor tissues. Therefore, targeting the mTOR pathway might be a strategy to promote solid tumor sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Radioresistance is associated with enhanced antioxidant mechanisms in cancer cells. Therefore, examination of the relationship between mTOR signaling and antioxidant mechanism-linked radioresistance is required for effective radiotherapy. In particular, the effect of mTOR signaling on antioxidant glutathione induction by the Keap1-NRF2-xCT pathway is described in this review. This review is expected to assist in the identification of therapeutic adjuvants to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy.
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29
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Martis RM, Donaldson PJ, Li B, Middleditch M, Kallingappa PK, Lim JC. Mapping of the cystine-glutamate exchanger in the mouse eye: a role for xCT in controlling extracellular redox balance. Histochem Cell Biol 2019; 152:293-310. [PMID: 31396687 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-019-01805-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The cystine-glutamate exchanger (system xc-) is responsible for the exchange of extracellular cystine for intracellular glutamate. In this study, we mapped the expression of xCT, the light chain subunit of system xc- in the different tissues of 3-6-week-old mouse (C57BL/6J) eye and have used an xCT knockout mouse to verify labelling specificity. Moreover, using the xCT knockout mouse, we investigated whether xCT was involved in maintaining extracellular redox balance in the eye. xCT transcript and protein were present in the cornea, lens and retina of wild-type mice, but not knockout mice. xCT was localised to the corneal epithelium, and the lens epithelium and cortical fibre cells but was absent in the iris. xCT localisation could not be determined in the ciliary body or retina, since xCT labelling was also detected in the knockout indicating a lack of specificity of the xCT antibody in tissues of a neural origin. Intracellular cysteine and cystine concentrations were similar in the wild-type and xCT knockout mouse for the cornea, lens, and retina. While extracellular cysteine levels were similar between the plasma, aqueous humour, and vitreous humour of the wild-type and xCT knockout mouse, extracellular cystine levels in the plasma and aqueous were significantly elevated in the xCT knockout mouse relative to the wild type. This suggests that loss of xCT results in an increased oxidative environment, particularly within the anterior chamber of the eye in which the aqueous humour resides. How this oxidative shift impacts ocular tissues that interface with the aqueous humour over time will be the focus of future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renita M Martis
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,NZ National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Paul J Donaldson
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,NZ National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.,School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,NZ National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Martin Middleditch
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Prasanna K Kallingappa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Julie C Lim
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand. .,School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. .,NZ National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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30
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Lee JR, Roh JL, Lee SM, Park Y, Cho KJ, Choi SH, Nam SY, Kim SY. Overexpression of cysteine-glutamate transporter and CD44 for prediction of recurrence and survival in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 2018; 40:2340-2346. [PMID: 30303590 DOI: 10.1002/hed.25331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study analyzed the expression of CD44 and cystine-glutamate transporter SLC7A11 (xCT) in primary oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and the relationships of expression to tumor recurrence and patient survival. METHODS Associations between CD44 and xCT expression and clinicopathologic results were analyzed in 231 patients with oral cavity SCC. Cox proportional hazard analyses were used to identify factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Overexpression of CD44 and/or xCT was associated with advanced T classification, perineural invasion, and lymphovascular invasion (P < .05 each). High expression of xCT was also associated with nodal metastasis and depth of invasion (P < .01 each). Multivariate analysis indicated that high expression of xCT and both xCT and CD44 were independent predictors of poor RFS, DSS, and OS (P < .05 each). CONCLUSION Overexpression of xCT or xCT plus CD44 may predict posttreatment recurrence and survival in patients with oral cavity SCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Ryung Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jong-Lyel Roh
- Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Mi Lee
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangsoon Park
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Ja Cho
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Ho Choi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soon Yuhl Nam
- Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Yoon Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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31
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Cobler L, Zhang H, Suri P, Park C, Timmerman LA. xCT inhibition sensitizes tumors to γ-radiation via glutathione reduction. Oncotarget 2018; 9:32280-32297. [PMID: 30190786 PMCID: PMC6122354 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
About 3 million US cancer patients and 1.7 million EU cancer patients received multiple doses of radiation therapy (RT) in 2012, with treatment duration limited by normal adjacent tissue damage. Tumor-specific sensitization could allow treatment with lower radiation doses, reducing normal tissue damage. This is a longstanding, largely unrealized therapeutic goal. The cystine:glutamate exchanger xCT is expressed on poor prognosis subsets of most solid tumors, but not on most normal cells. xCT provides cells with environmental cystine for enhanced glutathione synthesis. Glutathione is used to control reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are therapeutic effectors of RT. We tested whether xCT inhibition would sensitize xCT+ tumor cells to ionizing radiation. We found that pretreatment with the xCT inhibitor erastin potently sensitized xCT+ but not xCT- cells, in vitro and in xenograft. Similarly, targeted gene inactivation also sensitized cells, and both modes of sensitization were overcome by glutathione supplementation. Sensitization prolongs DNA damage signaling, increases genome instability, and enhances cell death, revealing an unforeseen role for cysteine in genome integrity maintenance. We conclude that an xCT-specific therapeutic would provide tumor-specific sensitization to RT, allowing treatment with lower radiation doses, and producing far fewer side effects than other proposed sensitizers. Our data speaks to the need for the rapid development of such a drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Cobler
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Poojan Suri
- University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Catherine Park
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Luika A Timmerman
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Wang AW, Wangensteen KJ, Wang YJ, Zahm AM, Moss NG, Erez N, Kaestner KH. TRAP-seq identifies cystine/glutamate antiporter as a driver of recovery from liver injury. J Clin Invest 2018. [PMID: 29517978 DOI: 10.1172/jci95120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular basis of the regenerative response following hepatic injury holds promise for improved treatment of liver diseases. Here, we report an innovative method to profile gene expression specifically in the hepatocytes that regenerate the liver following toxic injury. We used the Fah-/- mouse, a model of hereditary tyrosinemia, which conditionally undergoes severe liver injury unless fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) expression is reconstituted ectopically. We used translating ribosome affinity purification followed by high-throughput RNA sequencing (TRAP-seq) to isolate mRNAs specific to repopulating hepatocytes. We uncovered upstream regulators and important signaling pathways that are highly enriched in genes changed in regenerating hepatocytes. Specifically, we found that glutathione metabolism, particularly the gene Slc7a11 encoding the cystine/glutamate antiporter (xCT), is massively upregulated during liver regeneration. Furthermore, we show that Slc7a11 overexpression in hepatocytes enhances, and its suppression inhibits, repopulation following toxic injury. TRAP-seq allows cell type-specific expression profiling in repopulating hepatocytes and identified xCT, a factor that supports antioxidant responses during liver regeneration. xCT has potential as a therapeutic target for enhancing liver regeneration in response to liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kirk J Wangensteen
- Department of Genetics and.,Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | | | - Noam Erez
- Department of Genetics and.,Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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33
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Zhang L, Huang Y, Zhu Y, Yu Z, Shao M, Luo Y. Identification and Characterization of Cadmium-Related Genes in Liver Carcinoma. Biol Trace Elem Res 2018; 182:238-247. [PMID: 28791617 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-017-1106-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Evidence indicates that exposure to heavy trace element might be a risk factor for liver carcinoma. Cadmium has been supposed to be a carcinogen that has a correlation with the risk of a number of cancers, including liver cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying Cadmium-induced malignant transformation in liver cells are not fully understood. In the present study, we aimed to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that might play a role in both the Cadmium-related liver cell transformation and the development of liver cancer. Microarray-based gene expression profiles concerning liver carcinoma vs non-cancerous tissue (GSE64041) and Cadmium-treated liver cells vs controls (GSE8865 and GSE31286), respectively, were retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, DEGs of each profile were calculated and screened. The intersection of each DEGs was obtained by Venn analysis. Afterwards, the possible roles of the selected genes in cancer development were evaluated by using Oncomine database and TCGA cohort analysis. Consequently, three DEGs, LRAT, SLC7A11, and ITGA2, were selected for further analysis. SLC7A11 and ITGA2, but not LRAT, were upregulated in liver cancer compared with those in normal tissues, respectively. After using a TCGA cohort analysis, results failed to show a significant correlation between SLC7A11 or ITGA2 expression and clinical parameters. However, the survival analysis showed that patients with high expression levels of SLC7A11 had a shorter overall survival time relative to those of the patients with low levels. In conclusion, SLC7A11 and ITGA2 might play a role in the Cadmium-induced liver cell damage or transformation, and the development of liver carcinoma. SLC7A11 might be a prognostic factor for patients with liver carcinoma. Future validation experiments are needed to verify the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhen Yu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengmeng Shao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunbo Luo
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China
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34
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Zhang L, Huang Y, Ling J, Zhuo W, Yu Z, Luo Y, Zhu Y. Overexpression of SLC7A11: a novel oncogene and an indicator of unfavorable prognosis for liver carcinoma. Future Oncol 2018. [PMID: 29528250 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2017-0540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM SLC7A11 is a gene that encodes a cystine-glutamate antiporter, which has been detected to be overexpressed in various cancers. Thus, we aimed to validate its expression and clinical significance in liver cancer. METHODS Bioinformatic analysis was conducted and a tissue microarray was utilized for detecting SLC7A11 expression in liver cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry assay. RESULTS High expressions of SLC7A11 have no association with clinical parameters such as age, sex and clinical stages, except for advanced pathological stages. Cox regression analysis revealed that SLC7A11 might be an independent prognostic factor for liver cancer patients. CONCLUSION SLC7A11 overexpression might be a novel biomarker and a potential unfavorable prognostic factor as well as a potential therapeutic target for liver carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhang
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China.,Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, PR China
| | - Junjun Ling
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Wenlei Zhuo
- Institute of Cancer, Xinqiao Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Zhen Yu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yunbo Luo
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yi Zhu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China
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35
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Zhong W, Weiss HL, Jayswal RD, Hensley PJ, Downes LM, St Clair DK, Chaiswing L. Extracellular redox state shift: A novel approach to target prostate cancer invasion. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 117:99-109. [PMID: 29421238 PMCID: PMC5845758 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
AIM Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) and the cysteine/glutamate transporter (Cys)/(xCT) are tumor microenvironment (TME) redox state homeostasis regulators. Altered expression of ECSOD and xCT can lead to imbalance of the TME redox state and likely have a profound effect on cancer invasion. In the present study, we investigated whether ECSOD and xCT could be therapeutic targets for prostate cancer (PCa) invasion. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry of tumor microarray PCa tissues (N = 165) with high Gleason scores indicated that xCT protein expression is significantly increased while ECSOD protein expression is significantly decreased. Metastatic PCa indicated ECSOD protein expression is significantly decreased in epithelial area whereas xCT protein expression is significantly increased in stromal area. Furthermore, inhibition of extracellular O2•- by overexpression of ECSOD or alteration of the extracellular Cys/CySS ratio by knockdown of xCT protein inhibited PCa cell invasion. Simultaneous overexpression of ECSOD and knockdown xCT inhibited PCa cell invasion more than overexpression of ECSOD or knockdown of xCT alone. In the co-culturing system, simultaneous overexpression of ECSOD and knockdown of xCT in prostate stromal WPMY-1 cells inhibited PCa cell invasiveness more than overexpression of ECSOD alone. The decrease in PCa invasion correlated with increased of extracellular H2O2 levels. Notably, overexpression of catalase in TME reversed the inhibitory effect of ECSOD on cancer cell invasion. CONCLUSION Impaired ECSOD activity and an upregulated of xCT protein expression may be clinical features of an aggressive PCa, particularly metastatic cancers and/or those with a high Gleason score. Therefore, shifting the extracellular redox state toward an oxidizing status by targeted modulation of ECSOD and xCT, in both cancer and stromal cells, may provide a greater strategy for potential therapeutic interventions of aggressive PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiong Zhong
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Heidi L Weiss
- The Markey Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource Facility, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Rani D Jayswal
- The Markey Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource Facility, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | | | - Laura M Downes
- College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Daret K St Clair
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Luksana Chaiswing
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
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36
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Wei L, Chintala S, Ciamporcero E, Ramakrishnan S, Elbanna M, Wang J, Hu Q, Glenn ST, Murakami M, Liu L, Gomez EC, Sun Y, Conroy J, Miles KM, Malathi K, Ramaiah S, Anbarasu A, Woloszynska-Read A, Johnson CS, Conroy J, Liu S, Morrison CD, Pili R. Genomic profiling is predictive of response to cisplatin treatment but not to PI3K inhibition in bladder cancer patient-derived xenografts. Oncotarget 2018; 7:76374-76389. [PMID: 27823983 PMCID: PMC5363516 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Effective systemic therapeutic options are limited for bladder cancer. In this preclinical study we tested whether bladder cancer gene alterations may be predictive of treatment response. Experimental design We performed genomic profiling of two bladder cancer patient derived tumor xenografts (PDX). We optimized the exome sequence analysis method to overcome the mouse genome interference. Results We identified a number of somatic mutations, mostly shared by the primary tumors and PDX. In particular, BLCAb001, which is less responsive to cisplatin than BLCAb002, carried non-sense mutations in several genes associated with cisplatin resistance, including MLH1, BRCA2, and CASP8. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis revealed the overexpression of cisplatin resistance associated genes such as SLC7A11, TLE4, and IL1A in BLCAb001. Two different PIK3CA mutations, E542K and E545K, were identified in BLCAb001 and BLCAb002, respectively. Thus, we tested whether the genomic profiling was predictive of response to a dual PI3K/mTOR targeting agent, LY3023414. Despite harboring similar PIK3CA mutations, BLCAb001 and BLCAb002 exhibited differential response, both in vitro and in vivo. Sustained target modulation was observed in the sensitive model BLCAb002 but not in BLCAb001, as well as decreased autophagy. Interestingly, computational modelling of mutant structures and affinity binding to PI3K revealed that E542K mutation was associated with weaker drug binding than E545K. Conclusions Our results suggest that the presence of activating PIK3CA mutations may not necessarily predict in vivo treatment response to PI3K targeted therapies, while specific gene alterations may be predictive for cisplatin response in bladder cancer models and, potentially, in patients as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Sreenivasulu Chintala
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Genitourinary Program, Indiana University-Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Eric Ciamporcero
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Swathi Ramakrishnan
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - May Elbanna
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Genitourinary Program, Indiana University-Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jianmin Wang
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Sean T Glenn
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mitsuko Murakami
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Lu Liu
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Eduardo Cortes Gomez
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Yuchen Sun
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jacob Conroy
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kiersten Marie Miles
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kullappan Malathi
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sudha Ramaiah
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anand Anbarasu
- Medical & Biological Computing Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anna Woloszynska-Read
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Candace S Johnson
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Conroy
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Carl D Morrison
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Roberto Pili
- Genitourinary Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Genitourinary Program, Indiana University-Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Hagiwara M, Kikuchi E, Tanaka N, Kosaka T, Mikami S, Saya H, Oya M. Variant isoforms of CD44 involves acquisition of chemoresistance to cisplatin and has potential as a novel indicator for identifying a cisplatin-resistant population in urothelial cancer. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:113. [PMID: 29385995 PMCID: PMC5793458 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-3988-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cisplatin is the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of patients with metastatic and/or recurrent urothelial cancer. However, the effectiveness of these treatments is severely limited due to the development of cisplatin resistance. Cancer stem cells have been documented as one of the key hypotheses involved in chemoresistance. CD44v8-10 has been identified as one of the new cancer stem cells markers and was recently shown to enhance the antioxidant system by interaction with xCT, a subunit of the cystine transporter modulating intracellular glutathione synthesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical role of CD44v8-10 and the molecular mechanism underlying the acquisition of cisplatin resistance through CD44v8-10 in urothelial cancer. METHODS We analyzed the clinical significance of the immunohistochemical CD44v9 expression, which detects the immunogen of human CD44v8-10, in 77 urothelial cancer patients treated with cisplatin-based systemic chemotherapy for recurrence and/or metastasis. We then evaluated the biological role of CD44v8-10 in the acquisition of cisplatin resistance using the urothelial cancer cell lines, T24 and T24PR, which were generated to acquire resistance to cisplatin. RESULTS The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was significantly lower in the CD44v9-positive group than in the CD44v9-negative group (P = 0.008). Multivariate analyses revealed that CD44v9 positivity was an independent risk factor of cancer-specific survival (P = 0.024, hazard ratio = 5.16) in urothelial cancer patients who had recurrence and/or metastasis and received cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The expression of CD44v8-10 and xCT was stronger in T24PR cells than in T24 cells. The amount of intracellular glutathione was significantly higher in T24PR cells than in T24 cells (p < 0.001), and intracellular reactive oxygen species production by cisplatin was lower in T24PR cells than in T24 cells. Furthermore, the knockdown of CD44v8-10 by siRNA led to the recovery of cisplatin sensitivity in T24PR cells. CONCLUSIONS CD44v9 in tumor specimens has potential as a novel indicator for identifying a cisplatin-chemoresistant population among urothelial cancer patients. CD44v8-10 contributes to reactive oxygen species defenses, which are involved in chemoresistance, by promoting the function of xCT, which adjusts the synthesis of glutathione.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Hagiwara
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Eiji Kikuchi
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
| | - Nobuyuki Tanaka
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Takeo Kosaka
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shuji Mikami
- Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Saya
- Division of Gene Regulation, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mototsugu Oya
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
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38
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Cohen AS, Khalil FK, Welsh EA, Schabath MB, Enkemann SA, Davis A, Zhou JM, Boulware DC, Kim J, Haura EB, Morse DL. Cell-surface marker discovery for lung cancer. Oncotarget 2017; 8:113373-113402. [PMID: 29371917 PMCID: PMC5768334 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Novel lung cancer targeted therapeutic and molecular imaging agents are needed to improve outcomes and enable personalized care. Since these agents typically cannot cross the plasma membrane while carrying cytotoxic payload or imaging contrast, discovery of cell-surface targets is a necessary initial step. Herein, we report the discovery and characterization of lung cancer cell-surface markers for use in development of targeted agents. To identify putative cell-surface markers, existing microarray gene expression data from patient specimens were analyzed to select markers with differential expression in lung cancer compared to normal lung. Greater than 200 putative cell-surface markers were identified as being overexpressed in lung cancers. Ten cell-surface markers (CA9, CA12, CXorf61, DSG3, FAT2, GPR87, KISS1R, LYPD3, SLC7A11 and TMPRSS4) were selected based on differential mRNA expression in lung tumors vs. non-neoplastic lung samples and other normal tissues, and other considerations involving known biology and targeting moieties. Protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and scoring of patient tumor and normal tissue samples. As further validation, marker expression was determined in lung cancer cell lines using microarray data and Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed for each of the markers using patient clinical data. High expression for six of the markers (CA9, CA12, CXorf61, GPR87, LYPD3, and SLC7A11) was significantly associated with worse survival. These markers should be useful for the development of novel targeted imaging probes or therapeutics for use in personalized care of lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison S Cohen
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Farah K Khalil
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Eric A Welsh
- Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Matthew B Schabath
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Steven A Enkemann
- Molecular Genomics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrea Davis
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jun-Min Zhou
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David C Boulware
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jongphil Kim
- Department of Biostatistics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Eric B Haura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - David L Morse
- Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Oncologic Sciences, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.,Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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Hatem E, El Banna N, Huang ME. Multifaceted Roles of Glutathione and Glutathione-Based Systems in Carcinogenesis and Anticancer Drug Resistance. Antioxid Redox Signal 2017; 27:1217-1234. [PMID: 28537430 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2017.7134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Glutathione is the most abundant antioxidant molecule in living organisms and has multiple functions. Intracellular glutathione homeostasis, through its synthesis, consumption, and degradation, is an intricately balanced process. Glutathione levels are often high in tumor cells before treatment, and there is a strong correlation between elevated levels of intracellular glutathione/sustained glutathione-mediated redox activity and resistance to pro-oxidant anticancer therapy. Recent Advances: Ample evidence demonstrates that glutathione and glutathione-based systems are particularly relevant in cancer initiation, progression, and the development of anticancer drug resistance. CRITICAL ISSUES This review highlights the multifaceted roles of glutathione and glutathione-based systems in carcinogenesis, anticancer drug resistance, and clinical applications. FUTURE DIRECTIONS The evidence summarized here underscores the important role played by glutathione and the glutathione-based systems in carcinogenesis and anticancer drug resistance. Future studies should address mechanistic questions regarding the distinct roles of glutathione in different stages of cancer development and cancer cell death. It will be important to study how metabolic alterations in cancer cells can influence glutathione homeostasis. Sensitive approaches to monitor glutathione dynamics in subcellular compartments will be an indispensible step. Therapeutic perspectives should focus on mechanism-based rational drug combinations that are directed against multiple redox targets using effective, specific, and clinically safe inhibitors. This new strategy is expected to produce a synergistic effect, prevent drug resistance, and diminish doses of single drugs. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1217-1234.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Hatem
- 1 CNRS UMR3348, Institut Curie, PSL Research University , Orsay, France .,2 CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay , Orsay, France
| | - Nadine El Banna
- 1 CNRS UMR3348, Institut Curie, PSL Research University , Orsay, France .,2 CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay , Orsay, France
| | - Meng-Er Huang
- 1 CNRS UMR3348, Institut Curie, PSL Research University , Orsay, France .,2 CNRS UMR3348, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay , Orsay, France
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40
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Starheim KK, Holien T, Misund K, Johansson I, Baranowska KA, Sponaas AM, Hella H, Buene G, Waage A, Sundan A, Bjørkøy G. Intracellular glutathione determines bortezomib cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma cells. Blood Cancer J 2016; 6:e446. [PMID: 27421095 PMCID: PMC5141348 DOI: 10.1038/bcj.2016.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (myeloma in short) is an incurable cancer of antibody-producing plasma cells that comprise 13% of all hematological malignancies. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has improved treatment significantly, but inherent and acquired resistance to the drug remains a problem. We here show that bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity was completely dampened when cells were supplemented with cysteine or its derivative, glutathione (GSH) in ANBL-6 and INA-6 myeloma cell lines. GSH is a major component of the antioxidative defense in eukaryotic cells. Increasing intracellular GSH levels fully abolished bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity and transcriptional changes. Elevated intracellular GSH levels blocked bortezomib-induced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2, NRF2)-associated stress responses, including upregulation of the xCT subunit of the Xc- cystine-glutamate antiporter. INA-6 cells conditioned to increasing bortezomib doses displayed reduced bortezomib sensitivity and elevated xCT levels. Inhibiting Xc- activity potentiated bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity in myeloma cell lines and primary cells, and re-established sensitivity to bortezomib in bortezomib-conditioned cells. We propose that intracellular GSH level is the main determinant of bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity in a subset of myeloma cells, and that combined targeting of the proteasome and the Xc- cystine-glutamate antiporter can circumvent bortezomib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- K K Starheim
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - T Holien
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - K Misund
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - I Johansson
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - K A Baranowska
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A-M Sponaas
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - H Hella
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - G Buene
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A Waage
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Hematology, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - A Sundan
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - G Bjørkøy
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, K.G. Jebsen Center for Myeloma Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center of Molecular Inflammation Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Du J, Li XH, Li YJ. Glutamate in peripheral organs: Biology and pharmacology. Eur J Pharmacol 2016; 784:42-8. [PMID: 27164423 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate is a versatile molecule existing in both the central nervous system and peripheral organs. Previous studies have mainly focussed on the biological effect of glutamate in the brain. Recently, abundant evidence has demonstrated that glutamate also participates in the regulation of physiopathological functions in peripheral tissues, including the lung, kidney, liver, heart, stomach and immune system, where the glutamate/glutamate receptor/glutamate transporter system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of certain diseases, such as myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury and acute gastric mucosa injury. All these findings provide new insight into the biology and pharmacology of glutamate and suggest a potential therapeutic role of glutamate in non-neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Du
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China; Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Yuan-Jian Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China.
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Lanzardo S, Conti L, Rooke R, Ruiu R, Accart N, Bolli E, Arigoni M, Macagno M, Barrera G, Pizzimenti S, Aurisicchio L, Calogero RA, Cavallo F. Immunotargeting of Antigen xCT Attenuates Stem-like Cell Behavior and Metastatic Progression in Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2015; 76:62-72. [PMID: 26567138 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-1208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to therapy and lack of curative treatments for metastatic breast cancer suggest that current therapies may be missing the subpopulation of chemoresistant and radioresistant cancer stem cells (CSC). The ultimate success of any treatment may well rest on CSC eradication, but specific anti-CSC therapies are still limited. A comparison of the transcriptional profiles of murine Her2(+) breast tumor TUBO cells and their derived CSC-enriched tumorspheres has identified xCT, the functional subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc(-), as a surface protein that is upregulated specifically in tumorspheres. We validated this finding by cytofluorimetric analysis and immunofluorescence in TUBO-derived tumorspheres and in a panel of mouse and human triple negative breast cancer cell-derived tumorspheres. We further show that downregulation of xCT impaired tumorsphere generation and altered CSC intracellular redox balance in vitro, suggesting that xCT plays a functional role in CSC biology. DNA vaccination based immunotargeting of xCT in mice challenged with syngeneic tumorsphere-derived cells delayed established subcutaneous tumor growth and strongly impaired pulmonary metastasis formation by generating anti-xCT antibodies able to alter CSC self-renewal and redox balance. Finally, anti-xCT vaccination increased CSC chemosensitivity to doxorubicin in vivo, indicating that xCT immunotargeting may be an effective adjuvant to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Lanzardo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Conti
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Ruiu
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Elisabetta Bolli
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maddalena Arigoni
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Macagno
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Barrera
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Stefania Pizzimenti
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Raffaele Adolfo Calogero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
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Nezami Ranjbar MR, Luo Y, Di Poto C, Varghese RS, Ferrarini A, Zhang C, Sarhan NI, Soliman H, Tadesse MG, Ziada DH, Roy R, Ressom HW. GC-MS Based Plasma Metabolomics for Identification of Candidate Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Egyptian Cohort. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127299. [PMID: 26030804 PMCID: PMC4452085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study evaluates changes in metabolite levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases vs. patients with liver cirrhosis by analysis of human blood plasma using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Untargeted metabolomic analysis of plasma samples from participants recruited in Egypt was performed using two GC-MS platforms: a GC coupled to single quadruple mass spectrometer (GC-qMS) and a GC coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (GC-TOFMS). Analytes that showed statistically significant changes in ion intensities were selected using ANOVA models. These analytes and other candidates selected from related studies were further evaluated by targeted analysis in plasma samples from the same participants as in the untargeted metabolomic analysis. The targeted analysis was performed using the GC-qMS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The method confirmed significant changes in the levels of glutamic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, valine, isoleucine, leucine, alpha tocopherol, cholesterol, and sorbose in HCC cases vs. patients with liver cirrhosis. Specifically, our findings indicate up-regulation of metabolites involved in branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism. Although BCAAs are increasingly used as a treatment for cancer cachexia, others have shown that BCAA supplementation caused significant enhancement of tumor growth via activation of mTOR/AKT pathway, which is consistent with our results that BCAAs are up-regulated in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad R. Nezami Ranjbar
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Yue Luo
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Cristina Di Poto
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Rency S. Varghese
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Alessia Ferrarini
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Naglaa I. Sarhan
- Department of Histology and Genetics, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Hanan Soliman
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Mahlet G. Tadesse
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Dina H. Ziada
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Rabindra Roy
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Habtom W. Ressom
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abdo N, Xia M, Brown CC, Kosyk O, Huang R, Sakamuru S, Zhou YH, Jack JR, Gallins P, Xia K, Li Y, Chiu WA, Motsinger-Reif AA, Austin CP, Tice RR, Rusyn I, Wright FA. Population-based in vitro hazard and concentration-response assessment of chemicals: the 1000 genomes high-throughput screening study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:458-66. [PMID: 25622337 PMCID: PMC4421772 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding of human variation in toxicity to environmental chemicals remains limited, so human health risk assessments still largely rely on a generic 10-fold factor (10½ each for toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics) to account for sensitive individuals or subpopulations. OBJECTIVES We tested a hypothesis that population-wide in vitro cytotoxicity screening can rapidly inform both the magnitude of and molecular causes for interindividual toxicodynamic variability. METHODS We used 1,086 lymphoblastoid cell lines from the 1000 Genomes Project, representing nine populations from five continents, to assess variation in cytotoxic response to 179 chemicals. Analysis included assessments of population variation and heritability, and genome-wide association mapping, with attention to phenotypic relevance to human exposures. RESULTS For about half the tested compounds, cytotoxic response in the 1% most "sensitive" individual occurred at concentrations within a factor of 10½ (i.e., approximately 3) of that in the median individual; however, for some compounds, this factor was > 10. Genetic mapping suggested important roles for variation in membrane and transmembrane genes, with a number of chemicals showing association with SNP rs13120371 in the solute carrier SLC7A11, previously implicated in chemoresistance. CONCLUSIONS This experimental approach fills critical gaps unaddressed by recent large-scale toxicity testing programs, providing quantitative, experimentally based estimates of human toxicodynamic variability, and also testable hypotheses about mechanisms contributing to interindividual variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Abdo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Abstract
The expression of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is essential to maintaining cysteine levels in the body. GGT is a cell surface enzyme that hydrolyzes the gamma-glutamyl bond of extracellular reduced and oxidized glutathione, initiating their cleavage into glutamate, cysteine (cystine), and glycine. GGT is normally expressed on the apical surface of ducts and glands, salvaging the amino acids from glutathione in the ductal fluids. GGT in tumors is expressed over the entire cell membrane and provides tumors with access to additional cysteine and cystine from reduced and oxidized glutathione in the blood and interstitial fluid. Cysteine is rate-limiting for glutathione synthesis in cells under oxidative stress. The induction of GGT is observed in tumors with elevated levels of intracellular glutathione. Studies in models of hepatocarcinogenesis show that GGT expression in foci of preneoplastic hepatocytes provides a selective advantage to the cells during tumor promotion with agents that deplete intracellular glutathione. Similarly, expression of GGT in tumors enables cells to maintain elevated levels of intracellular glutathione and to rapidly replenish glutathione during treatment with prooxidant anticancer therapy. In the clinic, the expression of GGT in tumors is correlated with drug resistance. The inhibitors of GGT block GGT-positive tumors from accessing the cysteine in extracellular glutathione. They also inhibit GGT activity in the kidney, which results in the excretion of GSH in the urine and a rapid decrease in blood cysteine levels, leading to depletion of intracellular GSH in both GGT-positive and GGT-negative tumors. GGT inhibitors are being developed for clinical use to sensitize tumors to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie H Hanigan
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
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Nrf2- and ATF4-dependent upregulation of xCT modulates the sensitivity of T24 bladder carcinoma cells to proteasome inhibition. Mol Cell Biol 2014; 34:3421-34. [PMID: 25002527 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00221-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway degrades ubiquitinated proteins to remove damaged or misfolded protein and thus plays an important role in the maintenance of many important cellular processes. Because the pathway is also crucial for tumor cell growth and survival, proteasome inhibition by specific inhibitors exhibits potent antitumor effects in many cancer cells. xCT, a subunit of the cystine antiporter system xc (-), plays an important role in cellular cysteine and glutathione homeostasis. Several recent reports have revealed that xCT is involved in cancer cell survival; however, it was unknown whether xCT affects the cytotoxic effects of proteasome inhibitors. In this study, we found that two stress-inducible transcription factors, Nrf2 and ATF4, were upregulated by proteasome inhibition and cooperatively enhance human xCT gene expression upon proteasome inhibition. In addition, we demonstrated that the knockdown of xCT by small interfering RNA (siRNA) or pharmacological inhibition of xCT by sulfasalazine (SASP) or (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine (CPG) significantly increased the sensitivity of T24 cells to proteasome inhibition. These results suggest that the simultaneous inhibition of both the proteasome and xCT could have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of bladder tumors.
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Scaggiante B, Kazemi M, Pozzato G, Dapas B, Farra R, Grassi M, Zanconati F, Grassi G. Novel hepatocellular carcinoma molecules with prognostic and therapeutic potentials. World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:1268-1288. [PMID: 24574801 PMCID: PMC3921509 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i5.1268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Revised: 11/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of primary liver cancer, is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. The difficulty to diagnose early cancer stages, the aggressive behaviors of HCC, and the poor effectiveness of therapeutic treatments, represent the reasons for the quite similar deaths per year and incidence number. Considering the fact that the diagnosis of HCC typically occurs in the advanced stages of the disease when the therapeutic options have only modest efficacy, the possibility to identify early diagnostic markers could be of significant benefit. So far, a large number of biomarkers have been associated to HCC progression and aggressiveness, but many of them turned out not to be of practical utility. This is the reason why active investigations are ongoing in this field. Given the huge amount of published works aimed at the identification of HCC biomarkers, in this review we mainly focused on the data published in the last year, with particular attention to the role of (1) molecular and biochemical cellular markers; (2) micro-interfering RNAs; (3) epigenetic variations; and (4) tumor stroma. It is worth mentioning that a significant number of the HCC markers described in the present review may be utilized also as targets for novel therapeutic approaches, indicating the tight relation between diagnosis and therapy. In conclusion, we believe that integrated researches among the different lines of investigation indicated above should represent the winning strategies to identify effective HCC markers and therapeutic targets.
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